Mangal

The deity mars has four arms. He has a hairy body. The small hairs of the body are red in colour. In his hands are mace and Trident and rest of the two hands are raised in the postures of bestowing fearlessness and blessings. He has a golden crown on his head and his vehicle is a lamb. He is attired in red coloured apparels and had red garlands in his neck.

In the ‘Kalpa’ of ‘Varah’ when Hiranyaksha, the elder brother of Hiranyakshipu had abducted the earth Lord Vishnu had taken incarnation as a boar and had rescued the earth by killing Hiranyaksha. Mother earth became very pleased after seeing lord Vishnu and had a desire to have him as her husband.

In his incarnation as a boar lord Vishnu’s radiance was as dazzling illuminating and unbearable as crores of Suns. Lord Vishnu transformed his appearance into his enchanting form to fulfill the wish of the presiding deity of the earth and lived with earth for one year in aloofness. This way the birth of Mars took place (Brahmavaivarta Puran 2/8/29 to 43).

There are different stories about the origin of Mars in different ‘Kalps’. While doing worship the Mars is addressed as to be belonging from Bhardwaj’s clan. This narration has come in the Ganeshpuran.

The greatness of the worship of planet Mars has been described in the Purans’. Mars fulfills all the desires of a man after being pleased. The method of worship has been described in the Bhaumayantra on copper sheet and worshiping the golden idol of Mars. Chanting the name of ‘Mars’ gives liberation from the debts. Mars is considered as an inauspicious planet.

Mars passes through all the twelve zodiacs in one and half year after crossing each zodiac in three ‘pakshas’ (45 days) provided its motion is not retrograded.

Mars is pacified by the worship of Shiva. Wearing a coral also pacifies mars. Making donations of copper, gold, wheat, red clothes, jaggery (gur), red sandal, red flowers, saffron, musk, red-ox, lentil and land also, pacified the mars. Fast should be observed on Tuesday and the Hanuman Chalisa should be read.

The great phase of mars lasts for seven years. Mars is the lord of two zodiacs, i.e., Aries and Scorpio.

Worship of Moon god can be done by the following mantra taken from the Puran.